James V. answered 21d
Harvard & Yale Alum, Adjunct Professor | Grammar & Writing Expert
Although their, they're, and there are a common point of confusion, the difference is straightforward once you learn the specific role each word plays. Getting these details right is crucial for crafting the polished essays needed for highly selective applications.
Their (Possession)
Their is a possessive pronoun. It shows that something belongs to a group of people.
Memory Trick: The word heir is inside "their," and an heir is someone who inherits possessions.
Examples:
- "The applicants for Columbia University double-checked their essays for any grammatical errors."
- (Explanation: The essays belong to the applicants.)
- "Their extracurricular activities demonstrated a strong commitment to community service."
- (Explanation: The activities belong to them.)
- "All the students were proud of their high SAT scores."
- (Explanation: The scores belong to the students.)
They're (Contraction)
They're is a contraction, which is a shortened form of two words. It always means "they are."
Memory Trick: The apostrophe (') is taking the place of the letter "a" in the word "are." If you can substitute "they are" into the sentence and it still makes sense, you're using it correctly.
Examples:
- "My top candidates are so impressive; they're all likely to be accepted to Yale."
- (Explanation: This means "They are all likely to be accepted...")
- "They're hoping to get a campus tour at Princeton next month."
- (Explanation: This means "They are hoping to get...")
- "Once the decision letters are released, they're going to be very nervous."
- (Explanation: This means "They are going to be...")
There (Place or Idea)
There typically refers to a place or location. It can also be used to introduce a sentence or state the existence of something.
Memory Trick: The word here is inside "there," and both words refer to a place.
Examples:
- "The admissions office is over there, in the oldest building on Harvard's campus."
- (Explanation: "There" is indicating a specific location.)
- "There are thousands of talented students who apply to the Ivy League each year."
- (Explanation: "There" is used to state the existence of the students.)
- "I hope to go there for my undergraduate studies."
- (Explanation: "There" is referring to the university as a place.)